UNDERSTANDING POSITION PAPERS. Instructors have various reasons for assigning position or response papers: to focus attention on particular readings or class presentations; to measure how well you’ve understood course materials; to push you to connect course concepts or readings. Instructors may mark position papers less completely than full essays and grade them by different standards because they want to encourage you to take risks.

But don’t blow off these quick, low-stakes assignments. Position papers give you practice in writing about a subject and thus prepare you for other papers and exams. These assignments may even preview the style of essay questions an instructor favors. Just as important, position papers establish your ethos in a course, marking you as a conscientious reader and thinker or, alternatively, someone just along for the ride.

Use a few simple strategies to write a strong position paper.

Read the assignment carefully. Understand exactly what your instructor wants: Look for key words such as summarize, describe, classify, evaluate, compare, compare and contrast, and analyze and then respect the differences between them. (develop a draft)

confused?

Review the assigned material. Consider printing or photocopying readings so that you can annotate their margins or underscore key claims and evidence. Look for conflicts, points of difference, or issues raised in class or in the public arena — what some writers call hooks. Then use the most provocative material to jump-start your thinking, using whatever brainstorming techniques work best for you. (get an idea)

Mine the texts for evidence. Look for key sentences worth quoting or ideas worth describing in detail. (understand citation styles) Anchor your position paper around such strong materials. Quote a brief passage you admire for how well it explains a key concept or highlight a paragraph full of claims that you resist. Then talk about these passages. Be sure you merge any quoted materials smoothly with your own writing. (comment)

Organize the paper sensibly. Unless the assignment specifically states otherwise, don’t write the position paper off the top of your head. Take the time to offer a thesis or to set up a comparison, an evaluation, or another pattern of organization. Give a position paper the same structural integrity you would a longer and more consequential assignment.